$18m to help office buildings go green

Thirty-nine commercial office buildings around Australia will have their greenhouse gas emissions cut by 30,000 tonnes a year as a result of the latest grants under the Rudd government’s Green Building Fund.

The Green Building Fund reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by helping building owners to retrofit commercial office buildings.

Announcing the grants for Round 5, Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said that the recipients were reducing their greenhouse emissions and producing more energy-efficient buildings, which meant ongoing savings for business.

“Collectively, the projects funded in this round will result in projected savings of more than 30,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year,” Senator Carr, said.

“This brings total expected reductions from projects funded under the program to almost 158,000 tonnes annually.

“The Green Building Fund is an example of the practical and immediate steps being taken by the Rudd government to address climate change.”

The grants will be used to support investment of $73 million by building owners, in a range of building improvements, including:

• upgrading, replacing or retrofitting building management systems;
• upgrading heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems;
• installing external shading; and
• installing energy-efficient lighting.

In addition, three industry associations have been offered grants under the second round of the program’s Stream B. These grants will improve the capability of the commercial office sector to reduce emissions by managing buildings more energy efficiently.